California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE)
Assistance for students and schools with the administration of the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE). All California public school students, except eligible students with disabilities, must satisfy the CAHSEE requirement, as well as all other state and local requirements, in order to receive a high school diploma.

Early Assessment Program
A collaborative effort between the California Department of Education, the California State University, and the State Board of Education designed to assess students for college readiness in their high school junior year.

Specialized Secondary Programs
Specialized Secondary Program provides schools with startup funds to develop and implement advanced learning opportunities for students in at least grades ten through twelve.

Career Technical Education

Career-Technical Education
A program of study that involves a multi-year sequence of courses that integrates core academic knowledge with technical and occupational knowledge that provides students with a pathway to postsecondary education and careers. Information is provided on career-technical academic content areas and Regional Occupational Centers and Programs (ROCP) among other popular career-technical topics.

Programs for Special Populations

Advanced Placement (AP)
AP programs provide incentives for public comprehensive high schools in California to provide access to rigorous, college-level courses, while still in secondary school and receive college credit, for advanced academic standing, or both.

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)
AVID is a middle through senior high school program to prepare students in the middle achievement level with the potential to succeed in rigorous secondary curriculum and achieve four-year college eligibility.

Early College High School (ECHS)
The California Department of Education partners with the Chancellor's Office for the California Community Colleges to support the Early College High School (ECHS) Initiative of the Foundation for California Community Colleges.

Educational Options
Educational options are school and program alternatives that provide students with choices in the environment, type of instruction curriculum, and support systems needed to ensure that they achieve their full academic potential. Details can be found on Alternative Schools and Programs, Continuation High Schools, Community Day Schools, Opportunity Education, and Independent Study among many other educational options.

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)
The GATE program provides challenging curriculum and instruction to gifted and talented students capable of achieving significantly beyond the level of their peers.

International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is a comprehensive and rigorous two-year curriculum leading to an International Baccalaureate Diploma.

Middle College High School (MCHS)
This page describes the purpose and structure of Middle College High Schools. It also describes how agencies may apply for a County-District-School code.

Current Resources for Educators

Blue Ribbon Schools
Blue Ribbon Schools is a federal No Child Left Behind program that celebrates many of America's most successful schools. Its goal is to promote and support the improvement of education in America.

California School Recognition Program
The California School Recognition Program recognizes some of the states most exemplary and inspiring public schools. Schools selected for these awards are strong, well-rounded community schools.

Content Standards
The California Content Standards are at the core of K-12 education. The standards, in tandem with the corresponding curriculum frameworks, are designed to encourage the highest achievement of every student by defining the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students should acquire at each grade level.

Learning Support
Providing resources and instructional strategies that give students the physical, social, emotional and intellectual support needed to learn. Details can be found on attendance improvement, before & after school programs, counseling/student support, health, parent/family/community, safe schools and other programs.

High School Class Size Reduction
Also known as the Morgan Hart Program to Reduce Class Size, this program is one of 39 budget act items for which application and funding requirements are suspended until 2012.

Service Learning
Service-learning is an instructional strategy whereby students learn academic content standards by participating in organized service that addresses community needs and fosters civic responsibility.